The county commissioners unanimously approved a new protocol for handling ordinances received from the Assembly of Delegates. In November, the commissioners disapproved an ordinance in a manner outside of the open meeting law, failing to properly post the action and deliberating outside of a public meeting.

The protocol was drafted by county counsel Robert Troy to comply with the county charter. Ordinances referred by the Assembly would be placed on the next Commissioners’ agenda for discussion and action. If it’s disapproved, the commissioners would state why. The ordinance would then be delivered to the Assembly clerk.

County Administrator Mark Zielinski and Flynn said that disapproval of ordinances from the Assembly “is very rare.” Zielinski added that ordinances voted by the Assembly typically originate from the commissioners.

Harwich Assembly Delegate Leo Cakounes asked that the word “resolution” be added to the protocol, as the county charter provides for the same approval/disapproval process for those. The exception would be for matters relating to internal assembly business or resolutions simply stating an opinion of the Assembly.

Flynn said that she was not prepared to make that addition as part of this week’s vote, but would seek to have its appropriateness reviewed by county counsel.

Prior to the discussion on the procedure, a letter from the League of Women Voters of the Cape Cod Area was read into the record by Jari Rapaport, co-chair of the county’s county government committee.

Saying that the issue wasn’t the legalese or procedures, but that “government bodies understand, accept and fully act upon” the requirement for openness.

“The public must be able to understand the basis for decisions and the thinking that led to such decisions through an open, public process,” Rapaport told the commissioners.

At the Jan. 2 meeting, Flynn and Commissioner Bill Doherty of Harwich agreed to have the language of the suggested protocol published along with the meeting agenda and available for public review prior to the meeting. That did not occur and copies had to be made as the commissioners took up the item for discussion.